HITTING THE HIGH NOTES Critical Success Strategies

CRITICAL SUCCESS STRATEGIES

5. INCREASE EVENT ROI + CONVERSION

1. AMPLIFY COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

2. YEAR-ROUND CALENDAR OF EVENTS

4. BUILD EVENT FRIENDLY REPUTATION 3. FACILITATE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE EVENTS

Port Douglas Daintree needs to continue to significantly differentiate its events and event offerings to remain competitive into the future and achieve our vision. This will include developing events and venues to reflect her significant environmental location where two UNESCO World Heritage Sites meet and her tropical arts, food, lifestyle, and culture of the Kuku Yulanji people.

ELEVATING THE DESTINATION

To give a genuine competitive advantage, events should leverage Port Douglas Daintree’s iconic locations such as (but not limited to) the Mossman Gorge, Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation, Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef.

Where possible, event programs and event venues should strongly immerse and reflect the region’s vivid landscapes and unique selling points of climate, tropical food and produce, arts and culture.

ELEVATING EVENTS WITH CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

The incorporation of arts and Indigenous experiences across all event genres will assist in profiling the region’s rich cultural heritage.

This could include the development of professionally staged Welcome to Country at sporting, arts, and business events. Community leaders could welcome event visitors to the region and include an invitation to explore the region’s significant cultural sites to encourage a richer understanding and increase regional dispersal. Inclusion of a full day cultural package – ‘A Day on Country’ with Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony, Cultural Awareness – sharing the journey and stories in conference programs.

A concept raised by Jabalbina Yalanji, could be a daily event in Port Douglas that is staged to welcome visitors to Port Douglas and invite them to explore the lands of the Kuku Yalanji to encourage cultural awareness and dispersal.

CROSS POLLINATION – MULTI-FACETED EVENTS

Cross-pollinating events, for example, sporting events with arts, food and cultural experiences will contribute to developing “distinctly Port Douglas Daintree” events with a point of difference.

MAJOR + HALLMARK EVENTS

A prevalent theme throughout the consultation was a strong desire for more major and higher quality events with a hallmark event.

Hallmark and major events will play a pivotal role in amplifying the destination profile and increasing overnight visitor expenditure. They have the potential to be a catalyst for repeat visitation, contribute to destination profile, infrastructure development and community connectedness.

REINVIGORATING EVENTS

Some existing events have potential to develop to major and hallmark events through innovation and creative direction of their event programming and increased profiling of their events through national and international media.

PORT DOUGLAS DAINTREE EVENT SURVEY 2020

56% of survey respondents stated their business or event was not listed with the ATDW (Australian Tourism Data Warehouse)

Attendees are expecting to see something they haven’t seen before (think Dark Mofo) and to have more meaningful and immersive experiences where they actively participate in the event.

BRANDING, MEDIA PR + DIGITAL

To assist events to amplify their messaging and digital presence and attract greater media coverage externally, strategies include: • Integrating stunning Port Douglas

Daintree destination images into event marketing, linking the visitor website and social media channels to event websites. • Develop events image and footage library for use by event organisers and distribution from TPDD to

TTNQ, TEQ, Tourism Australia for their use would help to increase Port

Douglas Daintree event profiling. • Undertake video news releases (VNR) to regional, state, and

national media during major events will also contribute to greater media profiling. • Subject to privacy laws, developing a database of visitors from event online ticketing systems to provide targeted visitor insights. • Encourage event organisers to participate in tourism marketing and leverage with strategic partners • Develop an event brand toolkit that aligns with the destination brand, to include images, footage, suggested destination copy and tourism packages. • Maximising Port Douglas Daintree exposure at events, e.g., with signage placement, provision of destination images and footage to event organisers for social media and television broadcasts. • Encouraging established events to enter business, tourism and event awards could further profile

Port Douglas Daintree events on a regional, state, and national stage.

NATURALLY OCCURRING EVENTS

The creation of experiences, multi-media, and packaging around the naturally occurring events in the region will help to amplify the destination as the place on earth where two UNESCO World Heritage Sites meet. This could include: • Coral spawning. • Tropical fruits, plants, and food harvesting times/ seasons. Mud crabs and mango season • Marlin and turtle season. • Full moon/celestial events. • King tide/low tide

To increase year-round visitation for the Port Douglas Daintree region there needs to be more events staged throughout the year, particularly over Summer and Autumn.

Most importantly, as identified by event organisers are the financial risk to stage events during Summer/ Autumn due to wet weather, heat/ humidity and fewer visitors, as the population is not great enough to depend on a local/regional audience.

It should also be noted in the shortterm, to be financially viable, some events may require incentives (e.g. support with in-kind venue hire if staged in public locations) and staging in higher seasons.

A balancing of the events portfolio could be achieved through increasing the number of business, cultural and arts events during shoulder and low seasons.

GAME CHANGERS

Wet Weather Backup Venue

To overcome the risk of weather in low seasons, an all-weather backup venue, such as an outdoor undercover venue would reduce risk and encourage staging events during shoulder and low seasons.

Event organisers have recommended any construction be developed with event organisers and suppliers to ensure infrastructure meets industry needs.

Upgrading of existing event facilities with all-weather awnings/sails and air-conditioning for summer is also recommended.

Dedicated Conference and Events Venue

Long-term consideration should be given to the development of a dedicated conference and events venue with over 1,200 capacity to make bidding for larger and mid-size events possible. Given the accommodation capacity of 8,016 particularly with low occupancy rates from November to March annually, such a venue would significantly increase economic return for the region.

Potential funding for the project could be sought through Building Better Regions program and State and Federal Tourism Infrastructure Funding.

Road Closure – consideration of part road closure for 2–3 days a year of the Captain Cook Highway (part of the Great Barrier Reef Drive) where most visitors experience, “where the rainforest meets the reef” was identified during consultation for adventure events.

With the new Wangetti Trail targeted to be completed in 2022, the region has the potential to be highly competitive if road closure/part road closures could be investigated.

This consideration would only be if the economic benefit of the event is greater for the community than keeping the road open and restricted to only 2–3-part days per annum.

Offering a social program that includes networking events in iconic settings, choosing event venues that make leisure activities such as shopping, dining and sight-seeing convenient, and providing opportunities to discover the destination are all highly appealing to delegates.

TOURISM AUSTRALIA - ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE DELEGATE BEHAVIOUR.

“There is so much opportunity for this destination in the events space. Most recently the Queensland Government announced John Butler, Bernard Fanning and Amy Shark would play Cairns Summer Sounds at the Cairns Performing Arts Centre as part of the North Queensland Events Recovery Package as the region has been hit so hard by the global COVID pandemic. We were contacted through our partnership with Tourism Tropical North Queensland to potentially bid for possible consideration for side-shows, but our spaces and the lack of sizable wet weather backup venues removed the destination from consideration”

TARA BENNET, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, TOURISM PORT DOUGLAS DAINTREE.

The region has the capacity to attract major events, particularly in shoulder and low seasons.

With its accommodation capacity, attractions and strong dining experiences, opportunities exist to attract business, sporting, arts and cultural events.

The development of the Port Douglas Sports Complex and Coronation Park will allow the region to attract larger sporting events.

The region can currently cater for small to mid-size business events. The focus of business event attraction should build on the strengths of the region in the fields of environmental sustainability, food, arts, culture and Indigenous culture.

Creating an event attraction and acquisition budget, dedicated human resourcing and partnerships with strategic partners, venues and accommodation providers will be required to compete with other regional destinations, as evidenced in the local government benchmarking undertaken.

3. FACILITATE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE EVENTS

GROW EVENT ORGANISER CAPACITY

Grow event organiser capacity through training, networking and inkind support resources.

Collaboration through training workshops and networking functions for the event and tourism industry would assist in uniting the industries and provide operators with an opportunity to increase capacity by packaging events with accommodation, transport, attractions, tours and dining experiences.

Event organisers were surveyed as part of the Port Douglas Daintree Events Survey to indicate what areas of training they would attend.

Survey respondents showed the most enthusiasm for training in “Marketing and Promotion” which led at 70% followed by “Social Media” at 55% and “Funding and Sponsorship” at 40%.

INCOME DIVERSIFICATION

The need to further develop income diversification and profitability is required for long-term event financial sustainability.

Increased income, sponsorship and reliance on funding was identified by many events as a major inhibitor to growth. Strong financial training, understanding non-profit doesn’t mean break-even and the need to generate a surplus to innovate event programs are required.

HUMAN RESOURCING

Following income and funding, human resourcing and overstretched volunteers were cited by many event organisers as another major inhibitor to growth.

SHARING OF RESOURCES

Greater networking between events and the wider tourism industry and community could facilitate the sharing of information and resources, including:

• Co-promotion at events to enhance the experience and create multifaceted events, e.g. pop-up tropical food festival at a sporting event or Indigenous performance and creative arts at a business event.

• Volunteer exchanges at events.

• Skills exchanges, e.g. one event shares sponsorship skills in exchange for risk management skills.

• Co-marketing on websites, social media and potential data base sharing.

• Sharing of resources, e.g. fencing, generators, signage.

EVENT SYMPOSIUM

With 79% of event survey respondents expressing interest in “Networking with event and tourism operators” an event symposium is recommended. Such an event could include planning of the event calendar for the following year (to reduce date clashes), training and capacity building, information exchanges and case studies, incorporating Indigenous and destination experiences and networking for event organisers, and wider tourism industry.

DESIRED EVENT TRAINING

Event Management Risk Management/COVID-19 Governance/Board Responsibilities Customer Service Funding and Sponsorship Marketing and Promotion Social Media Mentoring Networking Training Packaging Bookings Other (please specify) 30% 33% 8% 15% 40% 70% 55% 20% 28% 20% 15% 18% 5%

79% of respondents expressed interest in “Networking with event and tourism operators” followed by 74% expressing interest to “Feature events and tourism in my marketing (e.g. website, social media)”. 65% shared interest evenly between “Packaging with other event and tourism operators” and “Promoting with other event and tourism operators”.

ENVIRONMENTAL BEST PRACTICE

To further grow a positive profile for the region and capture green consumer demand, events should be encouraged to use environmental best practice in the delivery of their events. This may require in-kind assistance in “how to” and initial financial incentives.

EVENT TOOLKIT

Develop an online event portal for event organisers and professional conference organisers that could include a ‘clash calendar’, event templates, brand guide and toolkit including destination images/footage, conferencing information, such as unique locations, settings and venues, venue/accommodation capacities and packages, event suppliers and support networks.

The portal could act as a central, “one stop shop” for event organisers to seek government approvals with links to relevant government departments.

ONE-STOP-SHOP APPROACH AND CULTURE

Developing the region’s reputation as an event friendly destination will be an essential component in attracting major events and growing new and existing events.

Further development of a “onestop-shop” approach and culture with council, TPDD, TTNQ, strategic partners and the greater tourism industry should be a key priority.

A seamless team approach that responds in an agile way to event enquiries, event support and major event attraction will create an event friendly destination.

CONCIERGE APPROACH

A concierge approach with major events need to be implemented to further develop the region’s reputation as an event friendly destination.

This would involve a key contact person/team to be the first point of contact for major event organisers. Their role would be to act as a concierge across multiple key stakeholders and Council departments (e.g., DSC, TPDD, TTNQ, TEQ). The contact person/team would organise a “one-stop-shop” meeting for the major event organiser with all key stakeholders as a round table discussion to facilitate and mobilise the event to maximise the region’s return on investment and long-term sustainability of the event.

The “one-stop-shop” round table meeting should also include, when applicable, state and national representation, e.g. police, department of transport, national parks, GBRMPA, the PBC, airport, liquor licensing etc.

IN-KIND SUPPORT

Resources and in-kind that could be offered to event organisers to achieve the Event Vision and desired outcomes of the strategy could include: • Event evaluation (including online surveys, event tourism impact study). • Event training and networking. • Engagement of professional footage, photographers and content creators. • Initial incentives for event organisers to stage innovative and engaging events in council venues and public spaces.

ONLINE PORTAL

Create a major and business event prospectus and online portal to attract and bid for events, conferences and incentives, targeting major event organisers and professional conference organisers (PCO’s).

This could include: • Conferencing and sporting facilities. • Accommodation. • Hiring venues – availability and booking online. • Automatic generation of permits. • Event ancillary services (e.g., sound, lighting, staging). • Events calendar. • Event toolkit. • Branding, images and footage.

Filming locations could also be included in the prospectus and online portal to attract the film industry and content creators for feature films, documentaries, music and fashion features and product launches.

STRATEGIC FOCUS + ROI

To increase return on investment (ROI) for Council and TPDD event funding and support, investment should be made based on the strategic goals of Economic Contribution, Destination Profiling, Natural and Cultural sustainability.

It is recommented tiered funding and/or in-kind support be based on a hierarchy of events and funding criteria linked to the TTNQ model (as outlined on the following page).

MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIPS

To encourage long-term growth and strategic planning multi-year funding partnerships could be considered, particularly for events who have successfully acquitted funding for two or more consecutive years and who deliver on four or more criteria.

INCREASE CONVERSION

Port Douglas Daintree is a highly desirable destination but this competitive position for attracting events and event attendees are hindered by access, in terms of both travel time and cost. Events provide the ideal proposition to increase conversion, to “book now”.

Online event ticketing with travel and accommodation packaging can create a higher conversion rate; making it easier for visitors to purchase.

To achieve a higher rate of conversion, increased packaging of events with the tourism industry in Port Douglas Daintree is essential. This will require more than merely listing accommodation and tourism experiences on an event’s website. It will require actual packaging of events with flights, transfers/car hire, accommodation and experience options.

MULTI-DAY + TRAVEL PACKAGING

Development of multi-day packaging will drive increased overnight visitor expenditure. This could include multi-day event passes, packaging with accommodation and value-add packaging, e.g. sports event with evening dining and arts experience.

Multi-day packages need to be easily purchased online, and supported with trade distribution, particularly through online travel agents.

EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Encourage the development of new and tailored experiences within events, such as behind the scenes, meet the maker and VIP experiences could increase profit margins for events to assist with income diversification, e.g. drinks with the artist at an arts event, breakfast with the grower at a food event.

PACKAGING & EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

To assist event organisers and the tourism industry achieve effective packaging and experience development (subject to funding availability), a three-year program where industry professionals are engaged to assist in their development and taking the event packages to market would be highly desirable.

It is recommended to select existing events which show potential, genuine desire for growth and commitment over a two-to-three-year period.